Leaving La / California - Asap (Los Angeles, San Diego: sales, rent, new house)

[ExNYr]

Originally Posted by UB50

If you go over to the Idaho Forum, there is a thread about how Californians are ruining their lovely state. One of the complaints is that a Californian wants to pave the road someone lives on! Can you imagine? I can't believe Californians are that progressive!

UB50, lol! I read that post about the paved roads too and thought, geez what's next, STOP signs at the intersections?!

I'm a born and bred NY'r who wound up moving to SoCal five years ago for my husband's job. I loved living in Ventura County and wish we hadn't moved. My husband has since retired and convinced himself that we can live better on a fixed income here in Oregon than we could in SoCal. Oregon's not so bad and I don't want to change it, but... the locals sure do dislike us transplants. All the western forums have threads devoted to disliking California people.

So I have a look at the east coast forums and they are full of threads bashing the NY'rs who've relocated. Someone like me can't win!!

[dusesean1986]

Originally Posted by ExNYr

All the western forums have threads devoted to disliking California people.

No way...You're kiddin'.

[Pacificop]

Wow, I had no idea my exasperated words would cause such a stir. It's funny how some things are taken so personally by some. Some of you have become quite annoyed with each other; I think there is latent hostility somewhere, either that or it’s the smog that has affected your sensitive and caring sides – I’m just kidding – don’t blast me now. The joke was there – had to use it. I’m glad that 98% of what I read was intelligent debate – differences of opinion to be sure, expected and desired, but the vast majority respectful. 

Anyway, several of you asked about my trip to Nashville. In short it was wonderful. We found several cities 20-30 miles south from Nashville that are just perfect for us. There are plenty of professional neighborhoods, with houses cheaper than here with standard amenities only found in extremely expensive homes here. Example – 4/5 bedroom 3.5 bath 3600 sq ft with 8-10” crown molding, trey(sp?) ceilings, choice of designer paint, wainscoting, chair railing, 5 inch floor molding, 3+ inch door framing, wood floors, tile, choice of appliance and fixture colors to match choice of cabinets, designer wall paint choices - due to the lack of shoddy craftsmanship, the interior walls are not textured, therefore flat colors and wallpapers lay evenly, brick front with vinyl siding (never peels or needs painting) all for around $300,000. The grass is actually green, the neighbors wave with all of their fingers at the cops as they drive by, I know, I went on a ride along for a couple of hours and compared the two locals. Huge difference in mentality.

The schools! Holy smokes! I’ve never seen such wonderful schools. My kids and I toured two different school districts and went inside two middle schools and two high schools. One of the high schools was brand new and cost $38 million, not a typo that’s $38,000,000. Education is important and the community spends their money on that since they don’t have to fork it out for medical welfare and social programs for a variety of criminal and illegal residents. I don’t think my region has spent $38M on structures for the entire district in a decade. The two high schools were similar in their amenities and would rival many of our community colleges, they don’t even compare to the average high school that I have seen in the great LA/Inland Empire areas.

To repeat a theme from of my original post; people are more relaxed. They don’t live in real daily fear. People are cautious to be sure where ever they live as they should be, but not at the level I experience here. When we asked high school kids at their mall and movie jobs, if they feared going to school or had ever witnessed a gang fight, they laughed or looked at us strangely. They asked us where we were from and when they learned we were from California, they replied with a chuckle that they read about that crazy stuff that goes on in California and wonder to themselves what is going on out here that high school has become so dangerous. I didn’t even try to answer their question. They all in different ways, in different counties in different parts of the greater Nashville area said they were not afraid to go to school – many thought it was a silly question. That’s the difference that matters to me and my family.

TO SAMSSF: For a single male with no family to care for, LA is a great experience; even if you don’t have a great job. You are young and can experience some of the wonderful things LA has to offer. When you get married and want to raise a family and don’t hang out and party all night (not insinuating anything bad, really!) and want a quieter and mellower lifestyle, you’ll find yourself in the same quandary as many here. The question that comes to mind is, “If I didn’t have to spend so much on regular cost of living for LA, how much more could I spend on my family? How am I going to afford CA health insurance, braces, a used car for my teenager – got to have a car in LA because lack of real public transportation, CA car insurance, CA registration (some states 50 bucks a year – mine $350), and above all – college for my carpet apes? That’s when you say to yourself, hmm, maybe its time to leave and live where “normal people” co-exist more peacefully.

Wanna hear the joke a southerner told me about CA? “How is CA like cereal? When you get rid of the fruits and nuts, it’s still a bunch of flakes.” I had to laugh…

At any rate, the only decision left is of course financial. Cash out and go now or wait three more years and pull an early retirement? (Rhetorical question only)

[UB50]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

L.A. people who've never known other locations are the main rah-rah boosters here

Wrong! The main rah-rah boosters here are people like me and copyguy who HAVE lived other places! The main poo-poo posters are those of you who are now middle aged who grew up here!

[UB50]

Originally Posted by Robert123

Good points, fastfilm. Make sure that you and your professional friends don't move to a place that's cheaper, or less gang-infested, only to find that there are few other professionals to relate to. I moved to San Antonio from SoCal, and while I'm not washing graffiti off my house, I'm washing the "y'all" off my tongue, rubbing the images of cowboy hats from my eyes, and struggling to get a simple glasses prescription filled (they've tried three times) because of the stupid people here. The mentality of a new place affects you in simple and unexpected ways. It makes you realize that you took smart people for granted when you lived around them.

When they think of Copenhagen as only being a brand of chaw, instead of being a city in Europe, well, that's whatcha git...

[UB50]

we are never be able to engage in meaningful conversation with them

Is this proper English? LOL! I couldn't engage in meaningful conversation either if this is the way you talk!

(Just kidding! I know you write better than this!)

[UB50]

Originally Posted by Pacificop

There are plenty of professional neighborhoods, with houses cheaper than here with standard amenities only found in extremely expensive homes here. Example – 4/5 bedroom 3.5 bath 3600 sq ft with 8-10” crown molding, trey(sp?) ceilings, choice of designer paint, wainscoting, chair railing, 5 inch floor molding, 3+ inch door framing, wood floors, tile, choice of appliance and fixture colors to match choice of cabinets, designer wall paint choices - due to the lack of shoddy craftsmanship, the interior walls are not textured, therefore flat colors and wallpapers lay evenly, brick front with vinyl siding (never peels or needs painting) all for around $300,000.

Hope there is a basement too, since Nashville does get tornados.

[UB50]

Originally Posted by ExNYr

UB50, lol! I read that post about the paved roads too and thought, geez what's next, STOP signs at the intersections?!

Weren't those posts a hoot? I also liked the ones complaining about people not baking baked goods from scratch. Yeah, we should all go back to the dark ages and maybe we should grind our own wheat!!

[BENZBOY15]

A trip can only give you so much. Do you have any idea of the humidity that envelops that area during the summer? The heat? It's not just bad, it's atrocious. You'll be stuck in your house for the entire summer in the AC, while BenzBoy in San Diego is having a martini on the beach.

Then in the winter when it's 30, I'll still be having my martini on the beach.

But if the weather doesn't bother you, go for it, because it sounds great otherwise!

[Perdu]

San Diego is not L.A., Benzboy. I applaud your ring-a-ding lifestyle there, but you could not duplicate that in L.A. without a high six or seven figure income to afford quaffing on your own beach home. Plus, shaken goes with stirred in our martinis, courtesy of temblors, not tumblers.